Chiloscyllium punctatum

The brownbanded bamboo shark, Chiloscyllium punctatum, is a bamboo shark in the family Hemiscylliidae found in the Indo-West Pacific from Japan to northern Australia, between latitudes 34° N and 26° S, to depths of 85 metres (279 ft). Its length is up to 1.04 metres (41 in). While adults are overall brownish with faint suggestions of bands, the commonly seen juveniles are distinctly barred dark and pale. Classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List Its minimum population doubling is 4.5–14 years range.The major threats to these sharks are the loss of their habitat, pollution, and hunting (both for aquarium trade as well as food). Reproduction is oviparous. It is regularly bred in public aquaria, and is arguably one of the sharks most suited to aquaria Concave posterior margined dorsal fin. No color patterns for the adults but the juveniles have dark transverse bands with some dark spots. These sharks are nocturnal animals and can survive out of the water for up to 12 hrs. These sharks have barbels, which are sensory organs that look like whiskers. Hence the common name for these sharks is “Cat shark” These sharks live around coral reefs and tide pools.